Can I Make Cheesecake But Skip the Water Bath?

Q: For the past few years I’ve been making pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving. This year I’m making it for a pre-holiday gathering, and I wanted to know if any of your readers have had experience (and success) with putting a bowl of water below the pan rather than using a water bath.

The water bath is so cumbersome, and I’d like to avoid it, but not at the expense of the cheesecake.

Sent by Ariel

Editor: Ariel, we have made cheesecake without using a water bath, but we can’t speak to this recipe directly. Readers, what are your experiences in using (and leaving off) the water bath when baking a cheesecake?